Answers to previous comments

Graphic from the Carl Larsen gallery

I was going to write about starting off your chicken flock but there are a few loose ends from yesterday's post so I'll tidy those up and write about chooks tomorrow.

First of all, welcome to the newcomers, especially those who have taken the time to say hello. The comments here are a big part of the blog so it's nice to know who has joined the community. Also, thanks to everyone for the lovely comments, I do appreciate them and although I might not always have the time to answer, I do read everyone of them. Yesterday, for instance, they provided a welcomed respite in a busy day at work. When I was waiting on the phone, or in between other activities, I peeked in, read and moderated the comments. I often think to myself that I have to respond to a particular comment but the hours roll by and I forget, or get busy again. Rest assure though, every comment is read.

Sara, wise move to use your stock of plastics, disposals and chemicals, then start afresh. We had a swap here about a year ago for cloth napkins and many of the ladies here didn't go back to the disposals after that.

Coleen, it's going well although we did run out of a few things - loose tea, brown sugar, brown rice and apples - so I bought them at the local IGA on my way home from work. All our other supplies are healthy and will go the distance.

Hello Stuff, you are the same age as my sons :- ) If you have the will to do it, there will be many things you could start with in your home - your cleaning, trash, knitting dishcloths, cooking from scratch, decluttering. Many things only need a solo effort, and the first step - that one is the most difficult. Let me know when you post and I'll make sure I come over to visit you.

Kristi, I don't know where Mt Clare is but I'm about 2000 kms north of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. If you have a look at a map of Australia, find Brisbane, which is north of Sydney, and I'm 100 kms north of Brisbane, in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.

Sophie, how wonderful to be working alongside your daughter making soft nappies for Ava. Sharing those gentle tasks really strengthens relationships while making memories for the future. I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit.

Hello Mandy and girls. Yes, Caloundra isn't the little fishing village is once was, still, it's good to see those things to understand the value of what you have at home.

Anonymous, here is my soap making tutorial, with recipe. It seems like quite a daunting task when you first start on soap making but after your first batch you'll know it's a simple process that needs to be done with care. You will use caustic soda (lye) and that will burn anything that it touches, so make sure the kids and pets are out of the room and go steadily and you'll be fine. BTW, the lye in the soap neutralises during and after the soap making process and there is no way of making soap from scratch without it. Overall, it's a great skill to have because you will be able to make good soap, using only vegetable oils, and you can add scents and herbs of your choice. Start off with the simple recipe in the tutorial, or the one that follows and I'm sure you'll make a good basic soap.

BTW, Copha in the following recipe is solidified coconut oil. You could also use Frymaster, which is solidified palm oil. If you decide to change the recipe, make sure you run your recipe through the soap calculator - the link is in the tutorial.

OLIVE OIL AND COPHA SOAP Olive Oil - 500 grams
Copha - 4 blocks or 1 kg (2.2 lbs) - melted slowly

Rain water - 550 mls

Lye (caustic soda) - 230 grams

The main thing to remember about soap making is that it is five basic steps that must be followed to the letter:

1. Accurately measure your ingredients.
2. Mix the lye and water and allow it to cool (it will heat up without being put on the stove).
3. Heat your oils and allow them to cool.
4. When the lye and the oils are at the same temp (about 50C), mix them together.
5. Then stir your mix until you reach trace.

Read the tutorial, it is, I hope, a much clearer guide.

Sharon, you're right, every little bit helps. Doing what you can makes you part of the solution.

Bec, Belinda is a good friend to me. She has done some wonderful guest posts here on living simply with children. See above about the soap recipe.

Anna, congratulations! That is wonderful news. Please pass on my best wishes to Mr T as well. I send warm hugs and love to you.

Sarah, you are a wise woman. "I cannot count the number of times I've wondered if I'll ever be "as good as" you. Perhaps I really should just work on being "as good as" I can be at doing things my way....whatever that is..." You hit the nail right on the head and summed up the point of my post in those two sentences.

Kym, change is an incredible thing, isn't it. Just as you have looked back and rejoice in how you have changed, I too look back at the old me and celebrate the journey from there to here. I hope you all enjoy your camping. What is a hydro?

Great work, Jules. That is exactly what I do. I don't want to make cheese, I find it difficult and tedious, so I buy local cheese, just as you have found your local egg suppliers. It's a win/win. You get fresh local product, you also support your local growers. Good luck with your fruit.

Beth from upstate NY, the pickles made the other day are for the fridge only. I did not sterilise them but they will be fine in the fridge for a couple of months. I'll write more about the difference between sterilising preserves and making them for the fridge in the next week or so.

Cathy, I'll write about the dogs and chooks tomorrow when I do my getting started with chickens post.

I know I still haven't answered all the questions, or the emails for that matter. Please be patient with me, I do as much as I can on each given day. I hope you're not disappointed if I haven't responded to you yet.

It's raining here, and cold (10C) , and I'm looking forward to lighting the fire at work as soon as I get there. I hope you are well and today has brought you contentment. Thank you for reading my blog and for your comments.

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